Now this is what Joe calls pitching. Hellboy was simply magnificent today.

Three hits allowed in his first start of the season? Wow!

One pitch away from a complete game, it seemed Hellboy grew stronger as the game wore on. His seventh and eighth innings were strong, especially for a guy making his first start of the season, especially for a guy who was probably past his pitch count.

Joe was so happy for Hellboy, he dropped his broom!

Ah, a sweep over the Yankmees to start the 2012 campaign. How sweet is that? Joe’s going to have a hard time getting up in the morning after countless adult beverages in celebration.

Just about the only thing that went wrong with this series sweep were the two douchebags who robbed the Rays of homers, in particular, the idiot who was wearing a Rays cap and a Yankmees jersey Saturday. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!

(Dudes over the age of 15 who bring gloves to ballgames need to grow up.)

Right now, the Rays might want to consider building a basket along the outfield walls where the bleachers are, much like what Wrigley Field has, thereby preventing anyone from turning a Rays homer into a double. Thankfully, the Rays were not burned by those two mental morons.

Cork, couldn't agree more, it was an impressive way to start the season. Positive points include the way Carlos, Longo, Joyce, Scott and Keppinger look so far. I do see a few area of concern that, if not addressed, may rain on our sunny days ahead. The bullpen looks a bit shaky. Molina looks clueless at the plate. Briggy and EJ are not major league hitters. Vogt???, the jury's out. I welcome Upton's return, however, maybe trade him for some infield lefty bench strength, I wouldn't mind that either. Go Rays!!!!!!!!!

Trade Upton for a lefty bench player? Hahahahahaha , That's a good one. Yeah lets trade a guy who's going to get 60 million dollars this winter for some bench help! Who comes up with this stuff? Why does nobody outside of the sabermetric community understand Upton's value? 4 win players (especially Centerfielders) don't grow on trees.

Pete, he's going regardless. Why not get something to help us win this year and free up 7 million for extending somebody who really wants to play here? 60 million? Where is that coming from? 5 years @ 12 million a year? I pity the team that makes that move.

Yeah , I would guess 5 years at 12M per. If we trade Upton it won't be until we fall out of contention and i'm not so sure that's going to happen. How many centerfielders are out there that are going to hit 20HR's and steal 40 bags? I'll answer that and say very few. Throw in his plus defense and he is a stud. Yes he hits for a low average and has some momentary lapses of judgement but he is just now going into his age 27 season ( his prime) and is still a 5 tool player. He strikes out too much but BJ Upton is much much better than the local media would like to make him out to be. He IS a 4WaR player and could be much much more. People who still judge a player by his batting average are way behind the times.

Also by all accounts BJ Upton loves the Tampa Bay area and he and his brother spend much of the offseason here. Joe Maddon loves him and i've never heard anything anywhere about him not wanting to play here. The BJ Upton is lazy thing is getting ridiculous and i have no idea where it comes from but he was working on his hitting all winter at the trop and the Local idiots on the radio (Steve Duemig) and hacks alike are the only ones i've ever heard with the lazy bit.

yeah it's the radio hacks. that's why he has been benched a game or so for the past couple of years. that's why longo jumped his ass. didn't cliff flyd jump his ass also? yeah just the hacks.

he's gone after this year, there's no way in hell we are paying him $12million a year. if he would have played in the first 3 games who would have sat, kepp, joyce, or zobrist? all 3 were huge. BJ isn't needed for this to be a playoff team, admit it. he's going to walk after this year, so why not get something for him? trade him while there's an opportunity. if you think he should be the highest paid player on our team next year by over $4million then you are delusional!!!

didn't DJ make an over the head catch running full stride. wow i thought only BJ could do it. it's amazing what positioning and speed will do.

S , I never said the Rays would pay him those kind of dollars. You are right , by all accounts Upton is gone after this season but if you think the Rays are a better team without him , then you sir are the one who's delusional.

The reason Upton has not be traded is because we want a kings ransom for him. Andrew Friedman knows that if trading him doesn't augment the future of this team , then our best chance is to win with him and let him walk and get the draft pick.

I won't even get into the one time he was benched for not running out a grounder. Do you even remember why Longo and him got into it?

And yes the local idiots on the radio are why Upton is the most polarizing sports figure in this area.

(from another post)
Joyce’s batting numbers are comparible to BJ’s with a lot less bats. Zobrist puts up equal numbers also. Both don’t have the steals, but both score as many runs. DJ’s numbers project damn close if not better than BJ’s and I truly believe it’s a wash in the field between BJ and DJ.

Now take into effect that next year BJ salary will be DOUBLE all 3 of them combined and his salary is easily a couple of million more than all of them combined this year.

If we can get a player for him that can break into our starting roster, then we need to dump him, the outfield of jennings, zobrist, and joyce is good enough for us to succeed. if we could fill ANY holes on our starting roster with a trade, and save money, then it would be foolish to keep him!!

Pete, I don't consider myself an Upton hater. I happen to think he's an asset. However, like any asset, there's a time to sell and a time to hold. If we fail to contend, which I also doubt, no team will offer much of anything and wait till he's a FA to snag him. if he returns and plays to 4WaR capability early on, we have to extend him or pull the trigger. All I'm saying is that if we're just going to let him walk I want more than a draft choice. Our 7-8-9 slots are looking very unproductive. I'd rather make this move too early than too late.

Pete, one last comment, the sabermetric community and it's followers don't win ballgames, players do. There used to be a stat that merely measured GWRBI that was much more revealing than all data being spewed out lately. The last time Upton truly impacted the team and it's successes was the '08 playoffs. He certainly has all the talent one could want in a player, yet displays it only on occasion. Batting average may be overrated but so is WaR and all the other silly little statistical anomalies. Clutch is still clutch and BJ pops it more than most. I wish him well and wish he'd become that potentially great player we all think he can be. If not now, then when?

Ken , you are right about that. He may never live up to his talent level. It's just so tantalizing. I wouldn't call myself a true Sabermetrics guy because i also think this game can't be played on a spreadsheet. I do agree that we have clutch guys but it does vary so much that it's so hard to quantify.

Upton is just so hard to give up on for me. From a Sabermetrics standpoint he looks good and from a scouting standpoint he looks to be 5 tools. But as a fan who watches at least 140 Rays games a year , he certainly be painful to watch at times.

Garza; I miss going to the ball park anyday Garza was pitching..
Hard telling what the nut was going to do..& He was a winner..

BJ Upton: with Upon in the outfield this weekend...Keppinger (Mr. .444) wouldn't have been playing 2nd, Zo would have, and we don't miss a step with Jennings in CF..
SO in Short how you going to improve on 3-0 with BJ UPton... You Don't...let him rest & play in minors next 10 days...
When comes the time we don't need him???

holy crapme and don on the same page? now if i could just get you to admit that crawford will be a complete bust.......

i love the people on this site that question my baseball IQ when i suggest that this team can easily survive and make the playoffs without upton. yet the front office has been shopping him around for an entire year. do you think they were shopping him for a replacement CF? hell no, they were just looking for the best value. if this team shows that they can win with BJ on the bench, then the front office will lower their expectations for what they can get. they won't let him walk like crawford did, and they surely won't be stupid enough to pay him $12 million.

by shopping him, they've admitted that he's not needed? how many time was crawford's name mentioned in a trade? bj will and should be dealt.